Lakers Make LeBron James Announcement After Rockets Game

Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Lakers Make LeBron James Announcement After Rockets Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Apr 25, 2026 7:05 AM ET

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are one win away from sweeping the Houston Rockets in their playoff series. The Purple and Gold beat Alperen Sengun and company, 112-108, in Game 3 on Friday night to get a 3-0 lead.

Sengun had a dominant showing for the Rockets, scoring a game-high 33 points on top of 16 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block. Unfortunately, they simply couldn't slow down the 41-year-old James.

James led the way for L.A. with 29 points on 10-of-22 shooting. He also tallied 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block. Most importantly, he drained a clutch 3-pointer with 13.1 seconds left to tie the game at 101-101 and force overtime.

While it was Marcus Smart who ensured the Lakers' victory with eight points in overtime, there's no denying that they wouldn't have won without James, especially in the absence of the injured Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks on during a game.William Liang-Imagn Images

Making his performance even more incredible, James made Lakers history in the game. By finishing 4-of-9 from deep, he moved up the franchise's list for most 3-pointers in the playoffs, surpassing Byron Scott's tally of 116.

James now has 117 playoff triples in his Lakers career, putting him at No. 4 on the Purple and Gold's all-time list. He's only behind Kobe Bryant (292), Derek Fisher (219) and Michael Cooper (124).

The Lakers announced James' accomplishment following their win over the Rockets.

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It might be difficult for James to surpass both Bryant and Fisher in this year's NBA playoffs, but he's certainly on track to crack the top three and topple Cooper from his spot.

The Lakers have a chance to close out their series against the Rockets on Sunday. Sure enough, it will be interesting to see what other records James achieves as he continues to lead the team.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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